We need to have the hunt much earlier, that was apparent. Wisconsin has 6 seasons and switched from 5 to 7 day seasons this year and we were season # 5. That means that the public land we hunted had been pressured for 28 straight days before we got there. Scoot12 and myself did not see a turkey on public land for the first two days! No feathers, poop or scratchings either... pretty much tells the story. Saw turkeys everywhere on private ground while traveling during the day, which says it all.

The problem is that the first three sessions are by lottery so everyone may not draw a tag. The last three sessions are over the counter sales if tags are not sold out. Also, my Michigan season begins May 7 th and I do not wish to give up the first week of that again where I have an abundance of private land to hunt.

We did enjoy great fellowship, saw the magazine offices and had an afternoon with Brian, which was a treat. But as Scott mentioned, the birds that were left were tough and I have my doubts about how many birds were even there given the circumstances.

"The joy of living is his, who has the heart to demand it." Teddy Roosevelt

Lol!!! That is funny. I wonder who had the brilliant idea of 10th road and 10th road? The hard thing about setting up a hunt somewhere else would be to have OTC tags as well as an abundance of either private land or public land for everyone to hunt on.

Dewey

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." --Mahatma Gandhi

"Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat."--F. Scott Fitzgerald, American writer

With this early spring we had this year, hurt us as far as the birds still being real active, that and the new 7 day season. Next year we want to move the date up, too at least the 4th season and maybe the 3rd, there was still a few 3rd season tags left for OTC tags. The 1st season most times get snow, sleet or rain, the 2nd season a lot of times you get the spring winds and rains, the 3rd is most times one of the better seasons, things start to settle down and the hunting gets better, with a normal year. The 3rd season is the last week in April. So next year we need to take a good look at which week we want?

I just got back from Wis last night so please forgive my delayed response.

I would like to thank Scott for organizing the hunt and putting up with us all. He did a great job.

I did kill a jake on the last evening hunt I was on...the 3rd time one was in range that evening was just too much. Then I missed a tom I called in the next morning...boy that one hurt! Oh well, I want revenge now so I may be back some time.

I thought the hunting was fairly good. There were birds around and gobbling was heard most mornings although the birds were tough to call. For me the hunt was somewhat typical of hunting a new (for me) area. Takes a while to figure things out and then I usually get at least close to killing a bird in a 5-day hunt. And I certainly did have my opportunity on this hunt.

The best part for me was coming away with some great new turkey knowledge. I learned several things, some things from good turkey hunters and some things from the birds themselves and the habitat type they hung out in. I usually hunt big woods and this was more small woods with fields scattered here and there.

And a big thanks to Brian Lovett for taking time out of his busy day (during turkey season no less) to visit with us. It was great to meet Brian and share a lunch with him and yap about turkeys. His father carves duck decoys, that was pretty cool to learn.

Anyways thanks to Scott, Jeff, Randy, Scott, Shane, and Brian. It was great to meet you and experience some of this "turkey thing" we do and love so much.

i would like join the hunt next season & would be game for any time period i got my bird in WI in season D on public land & it was beat to hell not from turkey hunters but morel mushroom hunters & hikers horse riders with a few turkey hunters im sure but they were not the prob it was the goofy early spring with above average temps & humid wet weather had us all messed up...

as for the moving the hunt DEWEY? & others what & or wear are we talking about moving the hunt next yr??? to another local in WI to hunt public land??? to another time period & stay in WI??? or to another state to hunt public land??? id be game for all or none it dose not matter to me??? just wondering what we are talking about???

there are some fine turkey states that have OTC tag SALEs & tons of public land to enjoy if we wanted to hunt prime opening day some wear???

i do understand we would want to maybe stay around the T&TH magazine HQso i am game for that as well???

glad yall had fun & hope to join in on the fun next season if its still going on...

We could always move it close to the WI/MN border near Pepin. Whitewater WMA (27,000 acres) is on the MN side and Tiffany Bottoms WMA (13,000 acres I think) is on the WI side. The last 4 seasons in MN is OTC (basically all of May) and Whitewater State Park has a very nice campground along the river. Tons of turkeys on both WMAs. Your thoughts?